Newly-acquired runningback Curtis Keaton, received from Cincinnati in exchange for an undisclosed draft pick, and second-year runningback James Fenderson are expected to fight for the #2 runningback job behind Deuce McAllister. RB Terry Allen, originally signed to backup McAllister, was unable to play through training camp and the preseason with a broken finger and hamstring injury suffered in the first practice of camp. Fenderson outplayed rookie free agent RB Ricky Williams and second-year Jeff Chaney for a spot on the roster.

Williams was originally listed on the Saints' list of cuts but was traded in a late-day deal to Indianapolis before the 3:00pm CST trade deadline. The Saints acquired an undisclosed conditional pick for Williams.

T Victor Riley, who is serving a one-game suspension from the league, does not count against the Saints' roster, nor does suspended CB Dale Carter. The Saints will have to release another player after this weekend's game in Tampa Bay for Riley to return to the active roster. The Saints will need to release another player to allow Dale Carter to return from his suspension, the length of which is not known at this point.

The Saints released safety Richard Newsome, who made the team last year as an undrafted rookie. Newsome was a special teams standout but was beaten out by safeties Steve Gleason and rookie Melvin Mitchell for the backup spots. Also in the secondary, the Saints chose to retain CB Fahkir Brown.

Undrafted rookie linebacker Travis Carroll played well enough to convince the Saints to keep an uncharacteristic seven linebackers.